Water Powered Back Scrubber

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to the field of personal hygiene devices, and to a back scrubbing device for use in bathing or showering for cleaning and/or exfoliating an individual&#39;s own back. Primarily the invention provides an improved water powered back scrubber or back washing device that easily mounts in a hand shower or on wall and provides a large cleansing surface having rotating scrubber that do not require electricity and are easily adjustable so as to accommodate users of differing heights, and is capable of regulating water pressure. The water powered back scrubber or back washing device of the current invention uses wash rag as scrubbing device and the water from the hose for continuously turning of the scrubbing device. The device consists of double ended paddle wheel shaft installed side to side by sponge covered cylinder attached to shaft with mini hooks to grab wash rags.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of personal hygienedevices, and to a back scrubbing device for use in bathing or showeringfor cleaning and/or exfoliating an individual's own back. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a water powered shower backscrubber and massager.

(2) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Personal hygiene has always been a big concern for most people. One ofthe most difficult areas of the human body for an individual to cleanhis/her own back. Individuals have used various methods in the past toclean their own backs including, a back scrubbing brush, a washclothheld between both hands, and similar awkward devices. However, not oneof these devices has resulted in an acceptable, efficient, solution forcleaning one's own back. In addition to this some persons find itdifficult to reach portions of the body while bathing, especially sowhen they are showering erect. For example, persons with arthritis ororthopedic limitations or other injuries find it difficult to reach thelower extremities and the back.

Therefore the concept of back scrubbers goes back quite far in patentedhistory, as evidenced by the 1988 U.S. Pat. No. 391,325 to Mayer.Patented efforts of twentieth century inventors are more sophisticated,and generally may be characterized as inventions having eitheruser-powered or externally-powered mechanisms for moving a brush, spongeor other scrubbing element over the user's body. Thus, Tebo U.S. Pat.No. 1,488,076 teaches a scrubber having a brush which can be pulled by acord passing over a cable for raising the brush. As the user pulls orreleases a handle, the cord raises and lowers the brush. Briggs U.S.Pat. No. 3,078,484 discloses a back scrubbing device which is permittedto slide on a rack until it is in a position desired by the user, atwhich point it becomes fixed by pins anchoring it in position. A brushof the device is rotated by a spring motor. Greer U.S. Pat. No.3,085,269 reveals a rotary shower brush which is caused to turn by aso-called water turbine unit, whereas Wurn et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,604describes a back scrubber which, while being caused to rotate by waterpower, has a horizontal brush which can be positioned at a desiredheight along a pipe. Wallasch et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,583 improvedupon that concept not only by having a horizontal brush but also byproviding a rack-and-pinion arrangement so that, in response to awater-driven cylinder, the brush can be caused to travel up and down.

The prior art reveals numerous other devices designed to assist in thewashing process. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,228,165 issued to Westberry et al,U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,480 issued to Peters et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,018issued to Glaser et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,068 issued to Kenner allare directed to wall mounted back washing devices having fixed brushesthat enable a person taking a shower or a bath to position their backagainst the device to assist in cleansing hard to reach areas. Thesedevices require the user to supply any washing motion by rubbing, eitherside to side, or up and down, against the fixed device. U.S. Pat. Nos.5,065,942 issued to Shannon, U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,543 issued to Martin,U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,557 issued to DeVivo et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,094issued to Halfen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,604 issued to Wurn et al, U.S.Pat. No. 3,724,760 issued to Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,839 issued toJackson, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,758,115 issued to Kelly, are all directedto shower fixtures having either manual or automatic height adjustingfeatures that enable the devices' cleansing means to move verticallyrelative to the user for cleansing hard to reach areas. U.S. Pat. No.4,955,101 discloses a body brushing brush mounted on a wall in a showerincluding means for non-rotatably moving the brush in a small orbit suchmovement is achieved with a hydraulic drive mechanism. U.S. Pat. No.5,345,640. This patent discloses the use of a multiple of rotary brushesmounted on a housing which can be mounted to the wall of a shower by wayof suction cups. U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,907 shows a brush system which ismounted to the wall of the shower. The brush system is stationary andthe bather has to provide for a relative movement against the brush. Thebrush element has a system whereby water sprays will emanate from thebrush bristles onto the body part of the bather. U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,782discloses a fitness-brush shower installation consisting of a rotarybrush that is driven by an electric motor through various drivingelements. Applicant is shying away from the use of any electric motorsin any shower environment.

In general, these prior arrangements have been needlessly complicated,as well as difficult and uneconomical to produce. Further, they havegenerally been cumbersome or awkward to use. What is needed is a bodyscrubber which is inherently straightforward and economical inconstruction, so that it can be produced economically by mass productionmethods, and which is effective and easy to use.

Thus, there exists a need for an uncomplicated water powered backscrubber or back washing device that easily mounts in a hand shower oron wall and provides a large cleansing surface having rotating scrubberthat do not require electricity and are easily adjustable so as toaccommodate users of differing heights, and is capable of regulatingwater pressure. It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of theaforementioned problems and shortcomings that the present invention isdirected.

More specifically, the use of water for providing rotation of thescrubber as suggested by the present invention provides a better designthan the expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstandingthe myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which havebeen developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives andrequirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known typesof back scrubbing device for use in bathing or showering now present inthe prior art, the present invention provides an improved water poweredshower back scrubber and massager.

As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will bedescribed subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new andimproved water powered back scrubbing device for use in bathing whichhas all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

The prime object of this invention is to provide an improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that easily mounts in ahand shower or on wall and provides a large cleansing surface havingrotating scrubber that do not require electricity and are easilyadjustable so as to accommodate users of differing heights, and iscapable of regulating water pressure.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved water poweredback scrubber or back washing device that uses wash rag as scrubbingdevice.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that uses water from thehose for continuously turning of the scrubbing device.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that uses double endedpaddle wheel shaft installed side to side by sponge covered cylinderattached to shaft with mini hooks to grab wash rags. Unit could beconnected to shower walls by suction cups or with sliding tubes thatallows scrubbing.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved water poweredback scrubber or back washing device that is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture.

Still yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that is simple to use.

Still yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that is plumbed directly tohot or cold water valves.

Still yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that uses Velcro asconnecting means of the scrubbing unit or grabber to the wash rag.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that is adjustable with atube to attach to shower wall.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that is adjustable withadjusting means is a tube to attach to shower wall with a clamp on theback of the scrubbing unit.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device that is made up of moldedplastic, copper and other metals and cloth or wash rag.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved waterpowered back scrubber or back washing device or unit that is connectedto the shower walls by suction cups.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide an improved back scrubbing device in accordance with thepreceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms ofmanufacture, simple construction and provides water powered backscrubber.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with thevarious features of novelty which characterize the invention, arepointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a betterunderstanding of the invention, its operating advantages and thespecific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to theaccompanying claims and descriptive matter in which there areillustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of thepresent invention, a more particular description of the invention willbe rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which areillustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawingdepicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are thereforenot to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will bedescribed and explained with additional specificity and detail throughthe use of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 depicts the front view of the water powered scrubber according tothe current invention.

FIG. 2 depicts the working model of the water powered scrubber accordingto the current invention.

FIG. 3 depicts the side view of the paddle wheel shaft according to thecurrent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable thoseskilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understoodthat the embodiments may be combined, or that other embodiments may beutilized and that structural and logical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thefollowing detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in alimiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by theappended claims and their equivalents.

Primarily, the invention provides an improved water powered backscrubber or back washing device that easily mounts on a hand shower oron wall and provides a large cleansing surface having rotating scrubber,that does not require electricity and is easily adjustable so as toaccommodate users of differing heights, and is capable of regulatingwater pressure. The water powered back scrubber or back washing deviceof the current invention uses wash rag as scrubbing device and the waterfrom the hose for continuously turning of the scrubbing device. Thedevice consists of double ended paddle wheel shaft installed side toside by sponge covered cylinder attached to shaft with mini hooks tograb wash rags. Unit could be connected to shower walls by suction cupsor with sliding tubes that allow scrubbing.

The advantages of the water powered back scrubber or back washing deviceis that, it is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and simple to use.The device of the current invention is plumbed directly to hot or coldwater valves. The Velcro is used as connecting means of the scrubbingunit or grabber to the wash rag. Also, the device is adjustable with atube to attach to shower wall. Further, this adjustment is facilitatedwith a tube to attach to shower wall with a clamp on the back of thescrubbing unit. The present invention is connected to the shower wallsby suction cups. The invention can be used with existing hand showers oroptionally be plumbed in a new construction.

The material used for the improved water powered back scrubber or backwashing device of the present invention is molded plastic, copper andother metals and cloth or wash rag. The size is approximately 4inches×6-8 inches H, 10-12 oz weight.

Now referring to the drawings, FIG. 1, illustrates the front view of thewater powered scrubber according to the current invention. The waterinlet 1, is the connection of water to the device for showers like handshowers. The device has multiple wash rag grabber 2 which are installedwith attaching means, preferably Velcro. The number of wash rags used isat least two. The water once enters makes the wash rag grabber to spinfor effective scrubbing of the back. The figure shows the paddle wheels3 placed at multiple positions depending upon the height of thescrubbing unit required to be placed on the shower wall. The turnbuckleshaft 4 installed inside a cover cylinder 5. The scrubbing unit isprovided with suction cups or with sliding tubes that allows scrubbing,as second attaching means used for attaching the unit to the showerwall.

Further the FIG. 2, illustrates the front view of the rag 6 used asscrubber according to the current invention. A special wash rag would beused which would be continuously turn being powered with water suppliedby a hose similar to the currently used with hand showers. The inventioncan be optionally plumbed directly to the unit with hot or cold valvesin case of new construction. The shown wash rag is attached to the unitof the invention with a first attaching means like Velcro.

Further the FIG. 3, illustrates the transverse-sectional view of thepaddle wheel shaft of the water powered scrubber according to thecurrent invention. The device of the present invention consists ofdouble ended paddle wheel shaft 7 installed side to side by spongecovered cylinder 5 attached to turnbuckle shaft 8 with mini hooks tograb wash rags. The rags will turn with the water pressure. The unit ofthe invention has multiple such shafts installed from side to side withsponge covered cylinder attached to the shaft with mini hooks to grabwash rags.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-discussedembodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many otherembodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe above description. Many other embodiments will be apparent to thoseof skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.

The benefits and advantages which may be provided by the presentinvention have been described above with regard to specific embodiments.These benefits and advantages, and any elements or limitations that maycause them to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construedas critical, required, or essential features of any or all of theembodiments.

Plural instances may be provided for components, operations orstructures described herein as a single instance. Finally, boundariesbetween various components are somewhat arbitrary, and particularoperations are illustrated in the context of specific illustrativeconfigurations. Other allocations of functionality are envisioned andmay fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter. In general,structures and functionality presented as separate components in theexemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure orcomponent. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a singlecomponent may be implemented as separate components. These and othervariations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall withinthe scope of the inventive subject matter.

I claim:
 1. A water powered back scrubber unit comprises: scrubbingdevice; grabber; first attaching means; second attaching means;adjusting means; paddle wheel shaft; a tube; and a clamp.
 2. The waterpowered back scrubber unit of claim 1, wherein said unit is adjustableto accommodate users of differing heights, and is capable of regulatingwater pressure and providing a large cleansing surface.
 3. The waterpowered back scrubber unit of claim 1, wherein said scrubbing device isattached to said grabber using said first attaching means.
 4. The waterpowered back scrubber unit of claim 1, wherein said first attachingmeans is Velcro.
 5. The water powered back scrubber unit of claim 1,wherein said paddle wheel shaft is a double ended paddle wheel shaftinstalled side to side by sponge covered cylinder attached to shaft. 6.The water powered back scrubber unit of claim 1, wherein said unit isconnected to shower walls second attaching means.
 7. The water poweredback scrubber unit of claim 1, wherein said second attaching means issuction cups or sliding tubes that allows scrubbing.
 8. The waterpowered back scrubber unit of claim 1, wherein said unit is plumbeddirectly to hot or cold water valves.
 9. The water powered back scrubberunit of claim 1, wherein said adjusting means is a tube to attach toshower wall with a clamp on the back of the scrubbing unit.
 10. Thewater powered back scrubber unit of claim I, wherein said scrubbingdevice is a wash rag.
 11. The water powered back scrubber unit of claim10, wherein said wash rag is at least two in number.
 12. The waterpowered back scrubber unit of claim 10, wherein said wash rag turningwith the water pressure.
 13. The water powered back scrubber unit ofclaim 10, wherein said paddle wheel shall is attached using mini hooksto grab said wash rags.